West Chester Rustin's Shevlin out in front at District One tourney

   West Chester Rustin’s Luke Shevlin fired a 2-under 70 at Turtle Creek Golf Club to take a one-shot lead in the opening round of the District One Class AAA Tournament Monday.

   Shevlin offset bogeys at four and seven with birdies at six, 10, 13 and 18 to get to 2-under over the 6,518-yard, par-72 Turtle Creek layout.

   Lurking a shot back at 1-under 71 are three talented players, including Methacton senior Kyle Vance,  who is going for the third district title in his outstanding scholastic career. Vance, a Kansas State recruit, cruised to a 10-shot victory in claiming the district crown a year ago, including a spectacular 8-under 64 in the opening round.

   Vance was running in some fast company this summer, making match play in the U.S. Junior Amateur at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn. and finishing in a tie for third at the Junior PGA Championship at Wannamoisett Country Club in Rumford, R.I.

   Vance had three bogeys in his round, including one at the par-5 eighth hole. But he birdied the other three par-5s at the Turtle, two, 13 and 18, and added a birdie at six.

   Vance was joined at 1-under 71 by Bishop Shanahan junior Ryan Conners, a semifinalist in the Golf  Association of Philadelphia’s Junior Boys’ Championship, and Kennett’s Evan Brown. Conners offset bogeys at seven, 14 and 15 with birdies at three, eight, 11 and 13. Brown had bogeys at four, six and 11,  but made birdies at five, eight, 12 and 13.

   Round 2 of the district tournament will be held Tuesday at Turtle Creek with the top finishers advancing to next week’s East Regional at Golden Oaks Country Club. The district field was cut following Monday’s  first round with the cut falling at 6-over 78.

   Spring-Ford’s Ben Pochet matched par with a 72 and is alone in fifth place.

   Radnor sophomore Jake Calamaro shared sixth place with Stephen Borst of Great Valley at 1-over 73. Calamaro had four birdies, but a pair of double bogeys and a bogey left him at 1-over.

   Calamaro and the Raiders will try to defend their District One team title Tuesday. Calamaro and fellow sophomore David Colleran, who also made the cut in the individual chase with a 77, helped the Raiders go on to win the PIAA Class AAA team title last fall. Colleran won the GAP Junior Boys’ this summer, getting past Shanahan’s Conners in extra holes in a semifinal thriller.

   Another key figure in that title run for the Raiders last fall is senior Michael Sydnes, who failed to make the cut for round 2 with an 81 Monday, but will likely be part of Radnor’s team effort Tuesday.

Norristown’s Caleb Ryan, Harry S. Truman’s Shane Nocito and Unionville’s Jack Niemkiewicz are tied for eighth at 2-over 74.

   Conestoga’s Alex Cook, Spring-Ford’s Connor Boham, Unionville’s Nick Gianelos and Upper Dublin’s David Kim are tied for 11^th at 3-over 75. Gianelos was the qualifying medalist at this summer’s GAP Junior Boys’.

   In Class AA, Lower Moreland’s Daniel Galbreath has the lead with an 83.  Devon Prep’s Bryan Donato and New Hope-Solebury’s Nate Hiriak are another shot back in a tie for second at 84, and Hiriak’s New Hope-Solebury teammate, Clay Asplundh, is in fourth place with an 85.

   The girls opened district play on Gilbertsville Golf Club’s Red and White nines and reigning Class AAA East Regional champion Gabby Kim, a senior at Radnor, has a share of the lead with Sophia Mancuso of Central Bucks East, each carding a 6-over 77.

   Gabby Kim’s younger sister June is alone in third place after posting a 78 over the 5,119-yard, par-71 Red and White nines at Gilbertsville. Conestoga sophomore Samantha Yao, who finished in a tie for third at the district tournament a year ago, is another shot back in fourth at 79.

   Downingtown East’s Liddie McCook, Wissahickon’s Cristea Park, Mount St. Joseph’s Alex Mercader and Hatboro-Horsham’s Cassidy Gavaghan are tied for fifth at 81.

   The district champion will be crowned Tuesday at Turtle Creek. The cut to advance to round 2 at the Turtle fell at 85.

   In Class AA, Nazareth Academy’s Melissa Landis grabbed the lead with an impressive 3-over 74. Nina Kouchi of New Hope-Solebury is five shots back in second with a 79 and Villa Joseph Marie’s Brianna Hocker is third with a 91.

   The district team champions were crowned Monday and Mercader’s 81 led perennial district power Mount St. Joe’s to the Class AAA crown with a 344 total.

   The Mount also got an 85 from Caitlin Mahon, an 87 from Brianna Mahon, a 91 from Maya Trujillo and a 94 from Olivia Wirsching. The top four scores count, so the Magic was able to toss Wirsching’s 94. The Magic will represent District One in the PIAA team competition in two weeks at the Heritage Hills Resort in York County.

   Downingtown West finished second at 372, C.B. East was third at 392, Downingtown East was fourth at 393, Great Valley was fifth at 398 and Hatboro-Horsham was sixth at 399.

   In Class AA, Hocker’s 91 led Villa Joseph Marie to the team title with a 402 total. Villa Joe also got a 101 from Amanda Dotter, a 104 from Kate Lupica, a 106 from Lauren Borda and a 108 from Kristina Mueller.  Villa Joe was able to toss Muller’s 108.

   Gwynedd Mercy gave its Catholic Academies rival a run for its money, taking runnerup honors with a 405 total.